E.A.R.T.H. - Grassroots Review

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There are often strength in numbers and that's the case with the current release Grassroots from the Riverside group E.A.R.T.H. (E.verything A.round R.evolves T.hru H.ip-Hop) is a perfect example of this. Consisting of members Ro Tone, No-e, Write Words and Double Negative the West Coast team has hit Hip Hop gold with Grassroots. The album is 11 tracks for an incredible display of style and skill from a group that is quickly earning its place on my list of "Favorite MCs No One Else Has Heard Of." Hopefully with this release, that will quickly change.

The first mark in the positive for Grassroots is that its free. You can click the link above to check it out yourself and the first thing you'll notice is the production. Its far from what you'll expect for an unsigned group. The beats are strong, catchy, and uniquely memorable joints that more importantly fit the tone of the records they support. This is the music most of us have been complaining is missing from the game for a long time.

If I were forced to box these guys in, I would lovingly place them somewhere between The Kids in the Hall meets Dialated Peoples, meets The Roots (whew) and even that is cutting these guys skills short. Tracks like the Ro Tone produced tracks Clones, Feelin' Alive and Sexin' After Textin' featuring TIE make you forget that this is a free album with themes and rhymes that are put together with a surgeons care.

The album is far from perfect however and there are several areas that I hope will improve in the next release from the group. While some seemed minor on their own, when combined (or repeated in some cases) they hurt tracks that could have otherwise made this album an strong candidate for a Grimey Choice.

There were some lyrical fumblings such as in Favorite Places where the group's slursmith "No-e" takes a perfectly good 16 and waters it down a bit by adding on several bars about his name that seemed more tacked on than tactfully done. There were also other areas where the verses weren't at their best from each of the artists but fortunately do to that group effort I mentioned earlier the other members tend to do a sufficient job of picking up the slack.

The other point that rubbed me wrong is the fact that I got to know them as a group but not as individuals. While I pointed out No-e's stubble on Favorite Places it was for the presentation and place (that specific track) not for the fact that he identified himself since he's the only voice I can immediately identify at this point. On a different track and better executed, everyone would know their favorite MC by name and voice by the end of the album.

At the end of the day you have a group of very talented men who put together 11 tracks of feel good, laid back, nod your head music that I highly recommend to anyone looking for something new!

3 out of 5 (GREAT - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)